Then Earl asked him, ‘How will I know when I am finished? Will it be soon?’
Robert said simply, ‘You will know!’
Earl desperately wanted to ask what it was he had left to finish, but he abruptly regained consciousness on the treatment table.2
Earl’s discussion with Robert makes me think about my own Appointed Time. I know my time is short, but how long do I have left to live? Was it mine to know the hour and day of my death? Could I control when I died? Or was the appointed DAY pre-ordained?
Why Dead Saints Return to Life
My research discovered that there are two primary reasons the Dead Saints return to the land of the living:
First, they are NOT meant to be dead. An accident has occurred and either they are not meant to be in the Afterlife, or God has a MISSION for them on Earth; there are things they must learn, people they need to influence, and children and family they need to care for. They are on a Mission from God and their participation on Earth is required:
I remember feeling very weak when my eyes rolled back into my head, then suddenly I was standing upright, but not on the ground, it was as if I was floating in a very silent, peaceful space. There was an oval shape of a cloudlike image surrounded in Light that became larger and larger in size. I heard a voice saying; ‘Tina, it is not your time yet, so don’t worry or panic. The voice repeated this statement two or three times and then told me to relax, calm my body and concentrate on opening my eyes.’ I then remembered thinking (knowing) it was my angel speaking and comforting me. I felt an extreme sense of peace and stillness.3
Secondly, they are MEANT to be dead, but they have asked to come back for their own reasons. This means they have stayed beyond their appointed time. Andrew was declared dead on the operating room table for three minutes during brain surgery to correct life-threatening damage to his head. During his NDE, he spoke to his deceased father who had passed away during the accident. His father asked the Lord if he could return Andrew to Earth, but it was Andrew’s choice whether to go back or stay in Heaven:
I saw the Light, I followed it. People say ‘Don’t follow the Light,’ but you really don’t have a choice. It’s either follow the Light, or be stuck there until you wake up—if you do. So I followed. I emerged somewhere outside the Gates of Heaven. I walked up to the nearest Seraph and didn’t even get past stating my full name, when the Seraph simply smiled and said, ‘Follow me. He wishes to speak with you.’ So I did. We walked in through the gates and I was led straight to the chamber where The Lord sat. I seated myself across a desk from Him, and we began conversing…
I remember the Lord said to me, ‘Worry not, you will not be kept here. I do not wish to have you home yet, for you have much to live for!’ This was in response to my question, ‘Am I really “‘dead” to my life down there?’
The Lord then smiled and my Dad walked in, grinning as he went to stand by the Lord’s side. It was his usual mischievous “surprise bearing” smile. It also had a large amount of pride in it.
My Dad simply said, ‘I’m home.’
To which I replied, ‘Daniel will miss you, and so will I.’ Daniel, who was 17 at the time of the accident, is my younger brother.
My Dad simply said, ‘Take care of him while you still can.’
To which I said, ‘Of course I would.’
The Lord then spoke and said, ‘Your father spoke to me earlier and did not wish you to die. I granted his wish…’
I gave my father and the Lord a parting hug. I still remember the hugs well, for when I gave the Lord a hug, he whispered into my ear as I was transported back, ‘You will not remember everything we spoke about, but don’t worry, you’ll remember what you need to know in life when the time is right, and you will remember it all when you cross heaven’s threshold once again.’ 4
Mission Possibilities
According to Psalm 139:16 (NIV), God planned our Mission in a Book before we were born:
Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your Book before one of them came to be.
However, the Dead Saints, reveal we may have several possible missions in life, but there is a preferred path God wants us to take. A Dead Saint named “Just” died during a 90 mph head on collision. During his NDE, he discovers he has a job to do, but he will have up to five different paths to choose from:
After the impact, I faded to black. At that point I was in what I call a void. It was dark black empty and wide open. It was the most peaceful and calm felling I ever had. I knew with just one thought I could travel through the void and I was about to shoot myself into it when I heard a voice say, ‘Stop. Don’t go. It’s not your time. You still have a job to do.’
When I turned to see who was talking, it was my mother. She died when I was six months old. I told her I didn’t want to live and I wasn’t going to go back. That’s when she said, ‘You can’t go yet. You have things to do first.’ I didn’t care and I turned back to go when she said, ‘Look.’ When I turned, I saw a woman holding a child. My mother told me this was my wife and child. My mother then told me all the major details of my life up until I die at age 47. [author’s note: an atypical future prediction]
Then, she told me that was my path and try to follow it. She also said my choices in life would affect my path. That’s when she showed me the major choices I had to make and what would happen as a result. She showed me five different life paths. At that point I was ready to go back to my body and continue my life.5
Dot recollects God offering two ways to fulfill her Mission:
In 1987 during the birth of my son, I suddenly went through a tunnel and stood before a Higher Power who is showing us two ways to do a Mission. One He prefers us to do, and the other He isn’t crazy about, but seems the main answer He is interested in is, ‘Will we do it the way He asks. Yes or no?’ [We have] free choice. No one is looking at Him, nor at the other spirits near Him.
’Okay. Yes. I will do as you wish.’
He sends two of the ones on his right with me. So many of the entities near me are telling me I will meet you here and there. Some even said they would be my children in this life. He shows us whom we will be born to, inherited diseases, even our death. I can’t remember why and what I’m supposed to be doing though.6
Does God Help Us Fulfill Our Mission?
A movie describing this idea came out a few years ago called the Adjustment Bureau. Starring Matt Damon, it is a story about the political career of David Norris and the intention of God’s Divine Plan to make him president of the United States. Angels (caseworkers) followed him around to make sure he did not stray from the plan, but things went awry when David Norris was determined to marry his girlfriend, Elise. The Adjustment Bureau, a legion of angel/case workers, didn’t want him to marry Elise because it would distract him from becoming President. A relationship with Elise was not “written in the plan,” and somewhat like a near-death experience, even when the angels made it known he was “destined” to become President and that marrying Elise would not be permitted, he chose to have the relationship with Elise anyway. These fixing angels, or caseworkers, were under the instruction from the “Chairman.” He preferred Mr. Norris not to marry Elise, so they kept putting obstacles in front of his path to deter him. They made him spill his coffee to miss a bus, created traffic accidents, but nothing stopped him.
Think about it. When we lose our keys or can’t find our cell phone, do those fixing angels who want to gently change our destination without compromising our free will, influence these events? Eventually, David Norris “gets the girl” and the Chairman (God) re-writes the Divine Plan, making everybody happy. It’s just a movie and some parts of it are all Hollywood, but I believe it illustrates an important truth described by the Dead Saints.
Charlene describes a “re-write” caused by her Dead Saint experience:
I was told by telepathy
that I am done here—if I want to be done here—or I could return. It seemed like I was there for days and days, like in some sort of “holding room.” The feeling I got was that they were waiting for my decision. When I told them about my decision, it seemed to take days and days again. Something that kept coming to mind was something of a ‘re-write.’ I am not sure what that is. As soon as I said I wanted to return to be here for the ascension, (this is one thing that I didn’t forget...out of everything...it was this), all the beings present seemed to be so exuberant. I was told that at first return, I would struggle and it would be difficult, but as I progressed, it would become easier.7
Isabelle remembers from her NDE that the ‘plan’ needed to be repaired if she didn’t return to Earth University:
I knew if I joined these lights I would be one of them forever. I didn’t know who they were, or what they did, but I knew that they weren’t idle. They had a purpose. The voice reminded me of the vision I had had of my husband and son in funeral clothes. He said, ‘if I didn’t go back to them, I would disrupt some ‘plan.’ The plan would be repaired and everything would eventually be okay, so I could go ahead if I wanted. 8
According to the Dead Saints, your choices become integrated into God’s blueprint, which is part of a Divine Plan:
They expressed that I had an important purpose to fulfill for the Earth that was vital to the Divine Plan for our world. I did not care at the time, and still wanted to move on. Then they showed me an image of my young daughter, insisting that my return was vital to her growth, and I felt the desperate despair she would experience for many years if I did not return. I then agreed to return. They instructed me how to bring myself back. 9
Heaven’s Captive Audience
Worried about whether you are walking the right path? According to Tim, you have thousands of friends in Heaven watching!
My vision then went totally to the bird’s eyes view. I just watched. I remember feeling satisfied and happy, as if I was in a play or something and performed exactly as I was supposed to…but then, I felt as if I was not the only one watching. I felt that I was being watched by tens of thousands of other people.10
Return to Life Humor
Cameron’s NDE: Occurred during a medically induced coma:
I was in a great white room that was rectangular. I couldn’t see any of the walls, floors or ceiling, but my mind just tried to make sense of it all. The room was long, almost tunnel like. Close to the end of this tunnel, there were two men sitting with their legs crossed and face to face with each other. As I approached them, the men stood up. I drew nearer to them. I could see the man looking back at me was Jesus Christ. The other man…I do not know whom he was, but I know he did not like me very much.
The two were bickering about what to do with me. Jesus rose up His hand as if to say stop, and said, ‘Hold on for five minutes. We haven’t figured out what to do with you yet.’ He pointed for me to go to my right or his left. After I followed His instruction, I met Ronald Reagan. I never really liked the man in life. According to my grandmother, he was the Devil. But, I have to tell you, he was one of the nicest guys I’d ever met. We chatted for a while. I asked him about Hinkley and he just laughed. The whole experience with Jesus was telepathic. He did not speak with words, but I heard Him. He was a very strong Shepherd. He appeared like someone from Greece with his haircut from some old movie. The hair looked almost sheered, like that of a sheep. The Jesus that I met had very dark hair and dark complexion, almost Arabic or Greek. You could tell he was from the Mediterranean. He was so strong, nothing like He has been portrayed in movies.11
Is Your Mission Finished?
Our life purpose includes a specific Mission God assigned to us before we were born. God reviewed your unique talents and abilities and said, “I’ve got a special job for you to do. It is an assignment so specific, only you are qualified to do it. Imagine the scene from Mission Impossible, “Your Mission, should you choose to accept it” is how things were laid out for you. You were given a choice…and since you are here, you can assume that you accepted your Mission.
Your Mission is part of God’s Divine Plan and may include several specific people, places or things you are supposed to meet, visit, or do. It may include being at the right place at the right time to meet a specific person; saying a kind word at the right moment; building a company; making friends who touch other friends; writing a book, or becoming President of the United States. A good example is John Kennedy’s leadership through the October 14-28, 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. His decisions likely averted global thermonuclear war. Of course, we will never know, but it is interesting to observe that he was assassinated November 22 the following year. Was he born to accomplish this particular Mission and then depart Earth University? Was his Mission finished? We can only speculate.
Another is Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., who, the day following his memorable ‘I’ve Been to the Mountaintop’ speech, was felled by an assassin’s bullet. In that speech, he declares:”
...We’ve got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn’t matter with me now. Because I’ve been to the mountaintop…And I don’t mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I’m not concerned about that now. I just want to do God’s will. And He’s allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I’ve looked over. And I’ve seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the Promised Land! …And so I’m happy, tonight. I’m not worried about anything. I’m not fearing any man. My eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord!” 12
Many people regard King’s speech as a prescient revelation of his impending fate, a forewarning to his followers that his Mission was over.
Like Martin Luther, Jr., you were carefully chosen by God to complete a specific Mission on the world stage of Earth University. Even though you will likely never know your Mission, it is vitally important, no matter how small. Mel describes this situation perfectly:
What was my great Mission? I don’t have a clue. I’d like to say I grew up and went on to cure cancer or brought about world peace. The truth is, I’m just an average guy. I know after the experience, I got married, joined the military, had kids, and became a cop. My daughters had children and now I’m a grandfather. The experience I had all those years ago continues to grow and dominate my life. It has become more important to me throughout the ensuing years. I now understand a basic human act of kindness amounts to so much more than being president of the United States or a brilliant scientist. I think my earthly job is only a platform to my real job. To accept and spread love. And by love, I mean real love, not some word bandied about in a careless fashion by so many of us. I mean taking the time to care and to show it each and every day. I know I have a long way to go but I no longer fear death. Maybe the greatest Missions in life aren’t the ones we typically think of? 13
The Dead Saints often have to make decisions about returning to life because they have a Mission to finish or job to complete. Often they are reluctant to come back. In fact, many are angry at the prospect of returning to Earth. The Saints are gently reminded they either have a job to complete, children or a spouse to care for—a Mission they must finish.
Is the choice to return to the physical body by divine order or is it a free will decision? The pendulum seems to swing equally both ways. The following excerpt from Johanna’s NDE is simply amazing in that it involves many souls who weigh in on the need for Johanna to return to Earth or not:
People were milling round, or so it seemed to me, asking what the verdict was. When they were told I was returning, there was uproar, with people saying it wasn’t fair and I should stay. I started literally kicking and screaming and saying I wanted to stay there. I didn’t want to go back. However, I entered the revolving tunnel once more and hovered again above my body before I floated down and settled back into it.14
This particular soul had earned the right to make a choice to return to Earth, but if she stayed in Heaven, “it would put a kink” in things:
A little while afterwards a man stepped out of the crowd. He said He wasn’t going to make me leave and I had earned the right to be there, but I put Him in a bind. There were things I was supposed to do, and me, being where I was, put a kink in things. He said what they were, though as I stated before I can’t remember the exact conversation. He also said he could get someone else to do these things, but time was short. He also implied my wife and children would miss me. At this point, I felt bad about things. Suffering and misery are two words to describe it though not adequately. He saw my state and asked what was wrong. I told Him I couldn’t do these things as I had screwed up. At that point, he smiled and put his hand on my shoulder and said, ‘Now is not your time.’ And this is the only thing I can say verbatim. My vision returned and the first thing I noticed was this “wet rag” feeling of something under me. I glanced at it and said out loud, ‘Oh. It’s my body.’ 15
Denny chose to return to bring Light to the Earth and to be there for his daughter:
I sat there as my two personal or guardian angels communicated with the others seated on the circumference of the interior of the dome. The communication was telepathic. I heard the voices, but did not speak. I knew they were talking about me. They were deciding if I should be admitted into the city and then into the heavens, or return to Earth. The general consensus among the beings there, including my two guardians, was I should stay. A leader among them stood and asked me directly, ‘You have free will, and the choice to stay, or return to Earth is yours.’
I said, ‘I have a daughter who must know who I am. And also Earth is in a lot of darkness right now. They need as many people with good heartedness within them alive and on Earth right now. For these reasons, I would like to return and complete my Mission.’ 16
The Dead Saints Chronicles: A Zen Journey Through the Christian Afterlife Page 18
